Photo Maksym Kozlenko, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons

Old townKraków, Lesser Poland

Kraków Old Town with children: what to see, map and route

Old Town and Wawel in Kraków. In the Turi app, the same map shows your position, guides you from point to point and lets you tick off the places you’ve visited.

24points to see

14on the recommended route

approx. 3 h 30 minvisiting with children

Open this map in Turi Directions ↗

Before you go Map Worth seeing All points

Before you go

approx. 3 h 30 minwith breaks, at a family pace

7toilets on the map

free entrymuseums and towers have separate tickets

The walk starts at the tourist information point next to the Słowacki Theatre, a few minutes on foot from the main railway station, and ends below Wawel on the Vistula. It is a one-way route: you can return to the start through the Planty park or by tram. If you are already in the Old Town, Turi will guide you from the nearest point. The streets are level and a pushchair can go everywhere except the Dragon's Den, which is reached by spiral stairs. Entry to the Main Square, the courtyards and Wawel Hill is free. Tickets are needed to visit St Mary's Church, the Town Hall Tower, the chambers and exhibitions at Wawel and the Dragon's Den, which is open in season. Toilets can be found in the Cloth Hall, in the Planty park and at Wawel, among other places.

At home, open the place in Turi and tap “Save for offline”: the map, descriptions and photos will work without signal.
Visit the furthest points first, while the kids still have energy.
Tick things off as you go, and by the exit you’ll know what’s left.

Kraków Old Town in the Turi app

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Map of the place

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1recommended, in route orderother pointsWCtoilets, food, tickets

Map: OpenStreetMap (ODbL). Descriptions and photos: Turi and Wikimedia Commons. Something not right? Report it in the app at that point.

Worth seeing

Kraków's Old Town and Wawel were placed on the very first UNESCO World Heritage List in 1978. The walk follows the old Royal Route: from the Barbican and St Florian's Gate across the Main Square, one of the largest medieval squares in Europe, past the oldest university buildings and along Grodzka and Kanonicza streets to Wawel. On the way you will hear the bugle call from St Mary's tower, step into the courtyard of the university where Copernicus studied and peek inside a giant bronze head, and at the end you will stand before a dragon that breathes real fire.

Photo Jakub Hałun, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons1

Building / monument

Barbican

This round red-brick fortress guarded the main entrance to the city. It was built in 1498 and 1499 under King John Albert, for fear of an invasion from the east. The walls are more than 3 metres thick and seven turrets rise above them. The Barbican was once linked to St Florian's Gate by a walled passage called the neck, and a moat ran around it. Locals call it the Saucepan. Can you guess why?

Photo Tonący rekin, CC BY-SA 3.0 pl, Wikimedia Commons2

Building / monument

St Florian's Gate

The only one of medieval Kraków's eight gates still standing. Records mention it as early as 1307, and with its spire it is 34.5 metres tall. Kings entered the city here and set off along the Royal Route to Wawel. On the park side you will see an eagle designed by Jan Matejko, and on the city side St Florian, patron saint of firefighters. Paintings have been hung for sale along the walls for years.

Photo Maksym Kozlenko, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons3

Building / monument

St Mary's Church

A Gothic basilica with two unequal towers. The taller one, the Bugle Tower, is 82 metres high and the lower one 69. Every hour a trumpeter plays the bugle call from it to the four points of the compass, and the tune breaks off suddenly. Legend says a Tatar arrow cut it short in just this way. Inside stands the altarpiece by Veit Stoss, carved between 1477 and 1489 and about 13 metres across. Listen to the bugle call and wave to the trumpeter: he usually waves back.

Photo Maksym Kozlenko, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons4

Attraction

Adam Mickiewicz Monument

Locals call it Adaś and use it as a meeting point. The monument to the poet was unveiled in 1898, on the hundredth anniversary of his birth. The Germans pulled it down in 1940 and it returned to its place in 1955. Four figures sit at Mickiewicz's feet: the Motherland, Valour, Learning and Poetry. Walk around the monument and try to work out which is which.

Photo Jakub Hałun, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons5

Building / monument

Cloth Hall

The long hall in the middle of the Main Square was once the centre of the cloth trade. The first stone stalls stood here when the city was founded in 1257. After a fire in 1555 the hall was rebuilt in Renaissance style and topped with a parapet of mascarons, carved faces. Look for the funniest ones. Inside there are still souvenir stalls, upstairs a gallery of paintings, and beneath the square an underground museum.

Photo Ingo Mehling, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons6

Building / monument

Town Hall Tower

This 70-metre Gothic tower is all that remains of Kraków's town hall. The hall itself was pulled down in 1820. The entrance is guarded by two stone lions brought here from the palace in Pławowice. In season you can climb the stairs to the top and look down on the Main Square. The cellars once held a prison and a beer hall.

Photo Jorge Láscar from Australia, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons7

Attraction

Eros Bendato

A huge bronze head lies on its side right by the Town Hall Tower. It is a sculpture by Igor Mitoraj, one of the best-known Polish sculptors. It shows Eros, the Greek god of love, with his face wrapped in bandages. The head is hollow, so you can look inside and peek out through the eyes. It is the children's favourite spot on the square.

Photo Chris Olszewski, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons8

Building / monument

Collegium Maius

The oldest building of the Jagiellonian University. Its story begins in 1400, when King Władysław Jagiełło bought a house here with money bequeathed by Queen Jadwiga. Nicolaus Copernicus studied at this university from 1491 to 1495. Step into the arcaded courtyard and look for the clock. At 9, 11, 1, 3 and 5 o'clock it plays a tune and a procession of figures comes out.

Photo Ввласенко, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons9

Building / monument

Church of Saints Peter and Paul

The first Baroque building in Kraków. King Sigismund III Vasa founded the church for the Jesuits, and it was built from 1597 to 1619. Twelve apostles stand on the fence in front of the entrance. Count them and look for the one with the keys: that is St Peter. Inside hangs the longest Foucault pendulum in Poland, and its demonstrations prove that the Earth rotates.

Photo Radosław Botev, CC BY 3.0 pl, Wikimedia Commons10

Attraction

Kanonicza Street

The oldest street in Kraków leads straight to the foot of Wawel. It was home to the canons, the priests who ran the cathedral, hence its name. Renaissance and Baroque houses with ornate portals have survived. Karol Wojtyła, the future pope, lived at numbers 19 and 21, where there is now a museum. At the end of the street stands the house of the chronicler Jan Długosz. It is quieter here than on Grodzka Street.

Photo Pymouss, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons11

Building / monument

Wawel Cathedral

Poland's kings were crowned and buried here. Seventeen rulers rest in the crypts, alongside poets and heroes. Huge bones hang on chains by the entrance. Legend says they belonged to the dragon, but they are really the bones of prehistoric animals. In the tower hangs the Sigismund Bell, cast in 1520. It weighs more than 12 tonnes and rings only on the greatest occasions.

Photo Marcin Konsek, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons12

Building / monument

Wawel Royal Castle

For centuries the kings of Poland lived here. Step into the courtyard with its three tiers of arcades: Italian masters built it in the early 16th century for King Sigismund the Old. In the chambers hang the arrases, huge woven pictures commissioned by Sigismund Augustus. You can enter the hill and the courtyard without a ticket; tickets are needed for the chambers and exhibitions.

Photo Dawid Galus, CC BY-SA 3.0 pl, Wikimedia Commons13

Attraction

Dragon's Den

A cave beneath Wawel Hill where, according to legend, the dragon lived. The entrance is at the top, by the Thieves' Tower. You go down spiral stairs deep into the rock and come out by the Vistula, right next to the dragon statue. The cave is open in season, usually from spring to autumn, and you need a ticket. Out of season, walk down around the hill and Turi will guide you.

Photo Lasitti, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons14

Attraction

Wawel Dragon

The bronze dragon has stood in front of the exit from the Dragon's Den since 1972. It was sculpted by Bronisław Chromy, and a year later a gas installation was fitted inside, so every few minutes the dragon breathes real fire. According to legend the monster was defeated by a young cobbler who left it a sheep stuffed with sulphur. The dragon then drank water from the Vistula until it burst. Wait for the fire.

All points (32)

Grouped as in the map legend. A star marks recommended points.

Building / monument 15

Barbican ★This round red-brick fortress guarded the main entrance to the city. It was built in 1498 and 1499 under King John Albert, for fear of an invasion from the east. The walls are more than 3 metres thick and seven turrets rise above them. The Barbican was once linked to St Florian's Gate by a walled passage called the neck, and a moat ran around it. Locals call it the Saucepan. Can you guess why?

St Florian's Gate ★The only one of medieval Kraków's eight gates still standing. Records mention it as early as 1307, and with its spire it is 34.5 metres tall. Kings entered the city here and set off along the Royal Route to Wawel. On the park side you will see an eagle designed by Jan Matejko, and on the city side St Florian, patron saint of firefighters. Paintings have been hung for sale along the walls for years.

St Mary's Church ★A Gothic basilica with two unequal towers. The taller one, the Bugle Tower, is 82 metres high and the lower one 69. Every hour a trumpeter plays the bugle call from it to the four points of the compass, and the tune breaks off suddenly. Legend says a Tatar arrow cut it short in just this way. Inside stands the altarpiece by Veit Stoss, carved between 1477 and 1489 and about 13 metres across. Listen to the bugle call and wave to the trumpeter: he usually waves back.

Cloth Hall ★The long hall in the middle of the Main Square was once the centre of the cloth trade. The first stone stalls stood here when the city was founded in 1257. After a fire in 1555 the hall was rebuilt in Renaissance style and topped with a parapet of mascarons, carved faces. Look for the funniest ones. Inside there are still souvenir stalls, upstairs a gallery of paintings, and beneath the square an underground museum.

Town Hall Tower ★This 70-metre Gothic tower is all that remains of Kraków's town hall. The hall itself was pulled down in 1820. The entrance is guarded by two stone lions brought here from the palace in Pławowice. In season you can climb the stairs to the top and look down on the Main Square. The cellars once held a prison and a beer hall.

Collegium Maius ★The oldest building of the Jagiellonian University. Its story begins in 1400, when King Władysław Jagiełło bought a house here with money bequeathed by Queen Jadwiga. Nicolaus Copernicus studied at this university from 1491 to 1495. Step into the arcaded courtyard and look for the clock. At 9, 11, 1, 3 and 5 o'clock it plays a tune and a procession of figures comes out.

Church of Saints Peter and Paul ★The first Baroque building in Kraków. King Sigismund III Vasa founded the church for the Jesuits, and it was built from 1597 to 1619. Twelve apostles stand on the fence in front of the entrance. Count them and look for the one with the keys: that is St Peter. Inside hangs the longest Foucault pendulum in Poland, and its demonstrations prove that the Earth rotates.

Wawel Cathedral ★Poland's kings were crowned and buried here. Seventeen rulers rest in the crypts, alongside poets and heroes. Huge bones hang on chains by the entrance. Legend says they belonged to the dragon, but they are really the bones of prehistoric animals. In the tower hangs the Sigismund Bell, cast in 1520. It weighs more than 12 tonnes and rings only on the greatest occasions.

Wawel Royal Castle ★For centuries the kings of Poland lived here. Step into the courtyard with its three tiers of arcades: Italian masters built it in the early 16th century for King Sigismund the Old. In the chambers hang the arrases, huge woven pictures commissioned by Sigismund Augustus. You can enter the hill and the courtyard without a ticket; tickets are needed for the chambers and exhibitions.

Juliusz Słowacki TheatreOne of the most beautiful theatres in Poland opened in 1893. It was designed by Jan Zawiejski and stands on the site of the demolished Church of the Holy Spirit. Since 1909 it has been named after the poet Juliusz Słowacki. Look up at the top of the façade: the figures there represent Poetry, Drama and Comedy, among others.

Jan Matejko HouseJan Matejko, painter of great scenes from Polish history such as the Battle of Grunwald, was born in this house at 41 Floriańska Street in 1838 and died here in 1893. A museum has operated here since 1895 and has been a branch of the National Museum since 1904. You are on Floriańska Street, the main stretch of the Royal Route. At its end you can already see the towers of St Mary's Church.

St Adalbert's ChurchThe little church in the corner of the Main Square is older than the square itself. Its Romanesque walls date from the late 11th century, and the Baroque dome was added in the early 17th century. Tradition says St Adalbert preached on this spot. Notice the entrance: it lies clearly below the square, because the ground level rose over the centuries.

Collegium NovumThe red-brick main building of the Jagiellonian University looks medieval, but construction only began in 1883. It stands by the Planty, the park that rings the whole Old Town where the city walls once stood. Next to the building you will find a monument to Nicolaus Copernicus as a young student. The Planty are a good place for a moment in the shade.

Franciscan BasilicaThe Franciscan church has stood here since the 13th century, but it is best known for what was created around 1900. Stanisław Wyspiański covered the walls with colourful flowers and designed the stained-glass windows. The most famous one, God the Father, has been above the entrance since 1904. Look inside on a sunny day, when the windows glow most brightly. Entry is free outside service times.

St Andrew's ChurchOne of the oldest churches in Kraków, built between 1079 and 1098. Its thick stone walls and narrow windows make it look like a small fortress, and it served as one. The chronicler Jan Długosz wrote that in 1241 the townspeople defended themselves here against the Mongols. Look at the two towers: the lower part is Romanesque and the spires are Baroque, several hundred years younger.

Attraction 9

Adam Mickiewicz Monument ★Locals call it Adaś and use it as a meeting point. The monument to the poet was unveiled in 1898, on the hundredth anniversary of his birth. The Germans pulled it down in 1940 and it returned to its place in 1955. Four figures sit at Mickiewicz's feet: the Motherland, Valour, Learning and Poetry. Walk around the monument and try to work out which is which.

Eros Bendato ★A huge bronze head lies on its side right by the Town Hall Tower. It is a sculpture by Igor Mitoraj, one of the best-known Polish sculptors. It shows Eros, the Greek god of love, with his face wrapped in bandages. The head is hollow, so you can look inside and peek out through the eyes. It is the children's favourite spot on the square.

Kanonicza Street ★The oldest street in Kraków leads straight to the foot of Wawel. It was home to the canons, the priests who ran the cathedral, hence its name. Renaissance and Baroque houses with ornate portals have survived. Karol Wojtyła, the future pope, lived at numbers 19 and 21, where there is now a museum. At the end of the street stands the house of the chronicler Jan Długosz. It is quieter here than on Grodzka Street.

Dragon's Den ★A cave beneath Wawel Hill where, according to legend, the dragon lived. The entrance is at the top, by the Thieves' Tower. You go down spiral stairs deep into the rock and come out by the Vistula, right next to the dragon statue. The cave is open in season, usually from spring to autumn, and you need a ticket. Out of season, walk down around the hill and Turi will guide you.

Wawel Dragon ★The bronze dragon has stood in front of the exit from the Dragon's Den since 1972. It was sculpted by Bronisław Chromy, and a year later a gas installation was fitted inside, so every few minutes the dragon breathes real fire. According to legend the monster was defeated by a young cobbler who left it a sheep stuffed with sulphur. The dragon then drank water from the Vistula until it burst. Wait for the fire.

Student's FountainOn little St Mary's Square, in the shadow of the church, stands a fountain with the figure of a medieval student. The figure is modelled on one of those in Veit Stoss's altarpiece. The square was once the church cemetery and is now one of the calmest spots by the Main Square. It is the best place to see how different the two towers are.

Little Market SquareThis long square behind St Mary's Church was laid out together with the city as an auxiliary market. It measures about 110 by 30 metres. For centuries meat was sold here, and later second-hand goods, hence its old name Tandeta, meaning junk. Today it is lined with café terraces and hosts fairs in season. It is a good place for a short rest away from the crowds of the Main Square.

Papal WindowThe window above the gate of the Bishops' Palace at 3 Franciszkańska Street. Karol Wojtyła lived in this palace as Archbishop of Kraków before he became Pope John Paul II in 1978. Whenever he returned to Kraków, he would stand at this window in the evenings and talk with young people gathered in the street. Today his portrait hangs in the window.

Czerwieński BoulevardThe boulevard on the Vistula at the foot of Wawel is the end of the walk and the best view of the castle from the river. The high boulevard walls were built to protect the city from floods. Today people stroll and cycle here and board sightseeing boats. Sit down on the grass and rest. You can return to the start through the Planty park or by tram.

Toilets / tickets / parking 8

Tourist informationThe InfoKraków point at 25 Szpitalna Street, right next to the Słowacki Theatre. Pick up a map and ask about opening hours for Wawel, the Town Hall Tower and the museums.

Public toilet

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Photo Igor123121, CC BY 4.0, Wikimedia Commons

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